Military dentist living conditions?

[FaithBuild18]

Hey everyone, I only recently learned about the HPSP program. Being a pre-dental student and having a desire to serve my country I feel this is right up my alley in allowing me to do both.

But I plan on getting married shortly after graduation, and my only question regarding this program is what will it be like for my family (new wife and maybe a child) during the 4 years that I spend in service?

I honestly don't know much about how the military in general works, but do you permanently live on a base somewhere in the States and then periodically get deployed overseas, or do you basically always live overseas? Will I get to see my new family at all during those 4 years? Where do wives and children of military personnel typically live? Anywhere in America, or near a base?

If I'm a dentist deployed overseas, where do I go to work and where do I go when I'm done with work? Are there medical buildings there and houses that you'd live in? Or is it just a bunch of tents? Please excuse my ignorance, as I've said I know nothing.

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[CougarDental]

If someone has some more direct answers to this question, by all means, post a response but krmower's blog will give you a great idea of what being an Army dentist is all about. He has some really great posts about his activities, some of which are directly related to your questions. Just google "Kendall Mower army blog" and the first link will take you right to it.

 

[krmower]

Hey everyone, I only recently learned about the HPSP program. Being a pre-dental student and having a desire to serve my country I feel this is right up my alley in allowing me to do both.

But I plan on getting married shortly after graduation, and my only question regarding this program is what will it be like for my family (new wife and maybe a child) during the 4 years that I spend in service?

I honestly don't know much about how the military in general works, but do you permanently live on a base somewhere in the States and then periodically get deployed overseas, or do you basically always live overseas? Will I get to see my new family at all during those 4 years? Where do wives and children of military personnel typically live? Anywhere in America, or near a base?

If I'm a dentist deployed overseas, where do I go to work and where do I go when I'm done with work? Are there medical buildings there and houses that you'd live in? Or is it just a bunch of tents? Please excuse my ignorance, as I've said I know nothing.

It is as close to a traditional job as you can get. Usually a 9 hour day (8 hours of work and 1 hr lunch).

You choose whether to live on or off of a base (buy a house, rent, or live in military housing on the base). Your family is with you unless you are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan in which case you are gone for usually 6 months and then back.

If you live overseas in Asia or Europe, your family would go with you and you guys find a house just like in the states.

You will typically move every 3-4 yrs if you stay in long term.

 

[teeth63a]

Hey everyone, I only recently learned about the HPSP program. Being a pre-dental student and having a desire to serve my country I feel this is right up my alley in allowing me to do both.

But I plan on getting married shortly after graduation, and my only question regarding this program is what will it be like for my family (new wife and maybe a child) during the 4 years that I spend in service?

There's usually a social network for military spouses that your unit will organize.

I honestly don't know much about how the military in general works, but do you permanently live on a base somewhere in the States and then periodically get deployed overseas, or do you basically always live overseas? Will I get to see my new family at all during those 4 years? Where do wives and children of military personnel typically live? Anywhere in America, or near a base?

Your initial obligation will be 2, 3, or 4 years. If you're only in that long you'll typically have only one duty station, in the U.S. or abroad. You may have two duty stations if you did an AEGD or Korean assignment. If you have a CONUS (continental US) assignment you can live on or off post. Not too many officers live on post. You'll have an 8-5 job in most cases.

If I'm a dentist deployed overseas, where do I go to work and where do I go when I'm done with work? Are there medical buildings there and houses that you'd live in? Or is it just a bunch of tents? Please excuse my ignorance, as I've said I know nothing.

This depends on where you deploy to. At this point of the war, the living conditions are fairly nice and are in hardened buildings (not tents). Your work place will be your dental clinic. Deployments will be fewer and far between for army dentists due to the slow withdrawal.

krmower's posts and blog are good. For another experience, read my thread "One Army Dentist's Story" in this forum. Hope this helps.